Plants need essential nutrients for growth. In fact, they require 16 elements to grow properly. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum, and Chlorine.
CO2 is the form in which plants absorb oxygen and carbon from air. In photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. The roots are the main source of all other nutrients.
The legumes plant family is able to use atmospheric nitrogen. The plants form a relationship of symbiosis with bacteria which convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, and finally into ammonium that the plant absorbs. The process of nitrogen fixation is known as ‘nitrogen fixing’.
Categories of nutrients
Plant essential nutrients are classified as secondary nutrients, macronutrients and micronutrients. The classification depends on what the plants need.
Do you want to increase your crop’s health and production by improving your irrigation and fertilisation practices?
The two most important practices that affect crop quality and yield are fertilisation and irrigation.
Agronomists can increase crop productivity by providing the correct balance of nutrients to crops and making sure they get enough water. To learn more about Soil Remediation techniques, consider Soil Remediation from Soil Fix.
The amount of macronutrients required is relatively high. In smaller amounts, secondary nutrients and micronutrients will be required. It does not mean that micronutrients have less importance for the plant. Micronutrient deficiencies can affect the growth of a crop in the same way as macronutrient deficiencies.
- Macronutrients include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
- Calcium, magnesium and sulphur are secondary nutrients
- Micronutrients – boron, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, molybdenum, chlorine.